10-1 June 2021

Chapter 10: Parks and Recreation Areas

10.1 INTRODUCTION

This chapter presents the analysis FRA conducted of the potential effects of the No Action 

Alternative and the Preferred Alternative on parks, open spaces, and recreation areas in the Study 

Area. FRA has also identified Section 4(f) resources in this chapter, which informs the evaluation 

of Section 4(f) resources discussed in Chapter 21, “Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation.” There are no 

wildlife and waterfowl refuges or conservation areas within the Study Area; therefore, potential 

impacts to such resources are not addressed in this chapter.

10.2 REGULATORY CONTEXT

FRA followed 23 CFR part 771 and relevant CEQR guidelines for the analysis of the project’s 

potential to impact sites devoted to recreational activities, including impacts to non-site-specific 

activities, such as bicycling, and impacts on non-activity-specific sites, such as designated “open 

space.”1

1 The CEQR Technical Manual defines open space as “publicly or privately owned land that is publicly 

accessible for leisure, play, or sport, or serves to protect or enhance the natural environment.” (2014 CEQR 

Technical Manual, Chapter 7, page 7-1).

For details on the regulatory context for this resource category, please refer to Appendix 

B, Chapter 7, “Parks and Recreation Areas.” The analysis also followed Section 4(f) of the USDOT 

Act of 1966. More details on the Section 4(f) methodology are described in Appendix B, 

“Methodology Report,” Chapter 19, “Section 4(f) Evaluation,” and in Chapter 21 of the EIS. 

10.3 ANALYSIS METHODOLOGY

In the absence of FRA-specific guidance for assessment of parks and recreation areas, the 

analysis was prepared in accordance with the methodology outlined in the CEQR Technical 

Manual. FRA’s analysis methodology included defining a study area appropriate to this resource, 

conducting an inventory of all public parks and recreation areas and privately owned public space 

within that study area, identifying any expected changes in future open space with the Preferred 

Alternative, and potential impacts to parks and recreation facilities due to the alternatives 

considered in this EIS. Please see Analysis Methodology in Chapter 7 of Appendix B for a 

complete description of the analysis methodology for this resource category.

The general Study Area for effects on parks and recreation areas is a radius of 1⁄2-mile from the 

Project Site, generally bounded by West 43rd Street to the north, Eighth Avenue to the east, West 

20th Street to the south, and the Hudson River to the west (see Figure 10-1 for the exact Study 

Area boundaries). The Study Area for this resource category includes the Project Site and extends 

outward to include routes for travel of construction workers, materials, and services, and represents 

the distance that, based on CEQR Technical Manual guidelines, defines the area in which the 

construction and operation of the Preferred Alternative could cause impacts. The Study Area is 

consistent with study areas for the environmental analysis of similar projects in New York City.
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WESTERN RAIL YARD INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT

Parks and Open Space Resources

Figure 10-1

0 1,000 FEET

1.21.21

Project Site (Western Rail Yard) A

Study Area (1/2-mile perimeter)

Census Tract

Open Space Resource

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June 2021 10-2 

Given the access restrictions to some resources and atypical usage patterns due to the COVID19 public health emergency, FRA is not able to verify current conditions and gather accurate use 

information at all locations. Instead, FRA has collected reported conditions and use information 

from recent studies conducted in the area, which provides context.

As detailed in Chapter 7, Section 100, of the CEQR Technical Manual analysis methodology 

guidelines, a direct effect occurs when a project physically changes, diminishes, or eliminates a 

public open space resource. This could include the physical loss of a resource because of 

encroachment onto the space or displacement of the space; changes to the use of the resource 

so that it no longer serves the same user population; limitations on public access to the resource; 

or increased noise or air pollutant emissions or odors that affect the usefulness of the resource, 

whether on a permanent or temporary basis. Parks and recreation areas may also experience 

short-term (temporary) effects during construction of a proposed project, from activities that would 

impede the operation of the park or open space (or its uses) due to construction-related activities, 

including construction access or staging. 

10.4 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT

There are 13 parks and recreational areas in the Study Area (see Figure 10-1 and Table 10-1). 

The key resources for this analysis are defined as those on and facing the Project Site: the High 

Line, Hudson River Park, and the Hudson Yards/Public Square and Garden, which are described 

in detail below. The additional ten resource areas are identified in Table 10-1. 

The High Line is a 1.45-mile-long, 6.73-acre linear park on the viaduct structure of the former rail 

freight line originally constructed by the New York Central Railroad in 1934 that runs between and 

through existing buildings and around the MTA LIRR John D. Caemmerer West Side Yard. The 

High Line opened as a park in phases, starting in 2009, and is owned by the City of New York and 

maintained, operated, and programmed by a non-profit conservancy, Friends of the High Line, in 

partnership with NYC Parks. The High Line consists predominantly of a paved walking area lined 

with landscaped areas of native plantings evocative of the plants that grew on the abandoned 

freight right-of-way before it was converted into a park. The northern segment of the High Line, on

the Project Site, is predominantly paved, with limited plantings and some seating areas; an 

adjacent area of former railroad tracks and volunteer vegetation between the tracks is intentionally 

preserved beside the walkway. 
Chapter 10: Parks and Recreation Areas

10-3 June 2021

Hudson River Park is an approximately 4-mile long, 550-acre linear waterfront park along New 

York City’s Hudson River waterfront.2

2 Acreage includes approximately 400 acres of lands under water.

Hudson River Park extends from just north of Chambers 

Street in Lower Manhattan to West 59th Street, where it connects to Riverside Park South. The 

park occupies the area from the pierhead line to the western boundary of Manhattan’s waterfront 

arterial, Route 9A (also known as Twelfth Avenue near the Project Site).3

3 The Hudson River Park Act (HRPA) was passed by the New York State legislature in June 1998 and signed 

into law in September 1998 (New York State Legislature, “Hudson River Park Act,” 1998 Sess. NY Legis 

Ch. 592 (S. 7845), Amended 2005, 2008, 2013, 2018, and 2020). The HRPA establishes the eastern 

boundary of the park as the western boundary of West Street/Eleventh Avenue/Twelfth Avenue, and when 

Route 9A is complete, as certified by the commission of NYSDOT, the eastern boundary of the park will be 

the western boundary of Route 9A. Hudson River Park is being developed in conjunction with the 

reconstruction of Route 9A into a landscaped urban boulevard, also a long-term project that began 

construction in 1994. At this time, the commissioner of NYSDOT has not yet certified the long-term 

reconstruction of Route 9A as complete and therefore the exact location of the boundary between the park 

and the roadway has not yet been established.

The park includes a 

waterfront esplanade that runs the length of the park. Adjacent to the park is a bikeway that is 

under the jurisdiction of NYSDOT as part of the adjacent Route 9A roadway, but is maintained by 

the Hudson River Park Trust (HRPT). Closer to the water, the park’s waterside esplanade provides 

a safe, segregated alternative for pedestrians and runners, who are not intended users of the 

bikeway. In places where the permanent walkway has not yet been constructed, an interim 

walkway provides public access to the waterfront. HRPT a public benefit corporation created by 

the New York State legislature with the mandate to design, construct, and maintain the park, is 

undertaking construction of the park incrementally, as funding becomes available. The area of the 

park between West 30th and 33rd Street, opposite the Project Site, is not yet completed. The 

Route 9A bikeway, is generally a 16-foot-wide paved route that provides space for non-motorized 

vehicles (i.e., bicycles, rollerblades, and skateboards). The primary purpose of the Route 9A 

bikeway is as a north-south transportation corridor. Lane markings clearly separate northbound 

and southbound users. The bikeway is heavily used during weekdays and weekends by 

recreational riders and commuters, both during the day and at night. Today, this section of the 

park consists of an interim walkway adjacent to the Route 9A bikeway, and a privately operated 

commercial heliport, the West 30th Street Heliport, that occupies the area west of the walkway to 

the water’s edge within the boundaries of the park. HRPT leases the heliport site to the private 

operator to generate revenue for the park. The heliport is a private commercial operation that is 

not open to the public for recreation. An amendment to the Hudson River Park Act calls for the 

relocation of the heliport to a floating structure between West 29th and West 32nd Streets, but the 

timing of such a relocation is unknown.4

4 2013 Amendment to Hudson River Park Act (Chapter 517 of the Laws of 2013), Section 3(m)(v).

The Hudson Yards/Public Square and Garden is a privately owned public space on the block 

bounded by West 31st and 33rd Streets and Tenth and Eleventh Avenues. It is approximately 4.52 

acres in size and includes seating, landscaped areas, and the Vessel, a public art installation 

designed by Heatherwick Studio that is meant to be climbed and explored.

As shown on Figure 10-1, two of these parks—the High Line and Hudson River Park—are linear 

resources that continue well beyond the Study Area. The High Line and Hudson River Park are 

additionally Section 4(f) resources, which were analyzed and described in detail in Chapter 21. 
June 2021 10-4 

Table 10-1 

Parks and Recreational Areas in Study Area

No. Park Name Location Jurisdiction Description

Approximate 

Size

Distance 

from Project 

Site

1 High Line 

Between Gansevoort 

and West 34th 

Streets west of Tenth 

Avenue* 

NYC Parks, 

operated by 

non-profit 

Friends of 

the High Line

1.45-mile-long 

walkway and 

landscaped area on 

elevated former rail 

line

Approx. 4.14 

acres in Study 

Area

Portion of 

resource at 

Project Site 

2 Hudson River Park 

Hudson River 

waterfront, between 

roughly Chambers 

Street and West 59th 

Street 

Hudson 

River Park 

Trust, a New 

York State 

public benefit 

corporation

4-mile-long 

waterfront park, 

walkway/esplanade, 

carousel, skate 

park, seating, 

boathouse

550 acres total; 

Approx. 18.90 

acres in Study 

Area

Approx. 132 

feet 

3 Bella Abzug Park 

Hudson Boulevard

between West 33rd 

and 36th Streets

NYC Parks 

Seating, restrooms, 

landscaped areas, 

playground, fountain

2.15 acres Approx. 292 

feet 

4 

Hudson 

Yards/Public 

Square and Garden 

(POPS)

West 31st to 33rd 

Streets, between 

Tenth and Eleventh 

Avenues

Hudson 

Yards 

Seating, landscaped 

areas, seating, 

Vessel climbing 

sculpture

Approx. 4.52 

acres Approx. 41 feet

5 River Place Plaza 

(POPS)

640 West 42nd Street 

Plaza 

River Place I 

LLC 

Seating, 

landscaping, dog 

run, play area

0.74 acres Approx. 0.43 

miles

6 Farley Building 

Steps 

Eighth Avenue, West 

33rd to 34th Streets 

United 

States Postal 

Service / 

ESD (Empire 

State 

Development 

Corporation)

Eighth Avenue 

steps 0.33 acres Approx. 0.44 miles

7 Chelsea Park 

West 28th Street 

between Ninth and 

Tenth Avenues 

NYC Parks

Basketball and 

handball courts, turf 

field, track, 

playground, statue, 

seating, landscaped 

areas

3.91 acres Approx. 0.22 

miles

8 Penn South 

Playground 

West 26th Street, 

Eighth to Ninth 

Avenue

NYC Parks Basketball courts, 

playground 0.60 acres Approx. 0.46 miles

9 Chelsea Recreation 

Center 430 West 25th Street NYC Parks 

Pool, gymnasium, 

volleyball court, 

active fitness rooms

0.39 acres Approx. 0.34 

miles

10 Chelsea Waterside 

Park

Eleventh Avenue, 

between West 22nd 

and 24th Streets

Hudson 

River Park 

Trust

Playground, ball 

field, basketball 

court, dog run

2.24 acres Approx. 0.31 

miles

11 Clement Clarke 

Moore Park

West 22nd Street and 

Tenth Avenue NYC Parks Playground, spray showers 0.49 acres Approx. 0.45 miles

12 

Public School 

(P.S.) 33 

Playground

281 Ninth Avenue DOE Playground 0.23 acres Approx. 0.35 

miles

13 

Elliot/Chelsea/Chel

sea Addition 

Houses

West 25th to 27th 

Streets, Ninth to 

Tenth Ave

NYCHA 

Playgrounds, 

benches, 

landscaping

0.67 acres Approx. 0.28 

miles

Total 39.31 acres
Chapter 10: Parks and Recreation Areas

10-5 June 2021

The Study Area also contains open space areas surrounding the residential buildings at the 

NYCHA Elliott/Chelsea/Chelsea Addition Houses. These NYCHA developments contain ancillary 

open space and recreational facilities for residents such as such as basketball courts, landscaped 

grounds between buildings, passive seating areas, playgrounds, and small parks that are 

maintained for public use by NYC Parks. These resources are intended for use by NYCHA 

residents rather than the general public, but they are publicly owned and maintained. 

In summary, the Study Area’s open spaces include a wide variety of open spaces appropriate for 

children, teenagers, adults, and seniors, including play equipment, biking and walking trails, 

benches and other seating, and recreation for handball, basketball, and other active sports. No 

wildlife or waterfowl refuges are located within the Study Area.5

5 Open space ratios for residents and workers in the Study Area that were identified consistent with the 

CEQR Technical Manual open space analysis methodology are provided for informational purposes in 

Appendix G. 

 

In addition to the resources noted in Table 10-1, recreational boaters use the portion of the Hudson 

River within the Study Area as a recreational resource. It is part of the Hudson River Greenway 

Water Trail, which includes 256 miles of the Hudson River and its tributaries and was developed 

by the Greenway Conservancy. The water trail extends from Lake Champlain to Battery Park City 

in Manhattan. Within the Study Area, the water trail has a boat access point at Pier 66 (26th Street) 

as part of New York’s Hudson River Park.

The portion of the Hudson River from the shoreline at the Manhattan bulkhead to the pierhead line 

(approximately 550 feet west of the bulkhead) is also part of Hudson River Park (item 2 in Table 

10-1). This area is designated as an estuarine sanctuary. Management of the sanctuary is 

governed in accordance with the policies and guidance established in the Hudson River Park 

Estuarine Sanctuary Management Plan, which identifies management policies related to resource 

protection and preservation, public access and recreation, education, and research activities. 

10.5 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES

10.5.1 NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE 

With the No Action Alternative, the Project Site would remain unchanged. The No Action 

Alternative would not result in any changes at or near parks and recreation areas in the Study 

Area; therefore, the No Action Alternative would not result in any impacts to parks and recreation 

areas. 
June 2021 10-6 

10.5.2 IMPACTS OF THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE 

Construction and operation of the Preferred Alternative would not eliminate or diminish any parks, 

open spaces, or recreation areas, or change the use of any resource so that it no longer serves 

the same user population. Upon completion of construction, the Preferred Alternative would 

include one permanent below-grade structure (the Tunnel Encasement) and one new above-grade 

structure (the Platform) on the Project Site. As described in Chapter 3, “Alternatives,” the Tunnel

Encasement would be a buried structure, and its presence would not be visible from parks in the 

Study Area, including the key resources identified above. The Platform would be minimally visible 

above-grade separate from the Overbuild, which would be constructed above it.6

6 The Overbuild and its potential effects are considered potential indirect and cumulative impacts of the 

Preferred Alternative and are considered in Chapter 20, “Indirect, Cumulative, and Other Impacts.”

Twelfth Avenue 

also provides visual separation between Hudson River Park and the Project Site. The Platform’s 

western edge would be set back from the edge of the High Line by approximately five feet, and 

thus may also be minimally visible in elevated views from adjacent portions of the High Line. 

Therefore, the Platform would not notably change the visual context of the Study Area’s parks and 

recreation areas. Furthermore, as described in detail in Chapter 5, “Land Use, Land Planning, and 

Property,” the area around the Project Site and the High Line is currently undergoing substantial 

redevelopment, and by the completion of the Preferred Alternative, many high-rise buildings will 

be present within this area, changing the visual context of the Study Area’s parks and recreation 

areas. Construction for the Preferred Alternative would not affect any areas of the Hudson River 

or limit boating activities in any other portion of the river. The completed Tunnel Encasement and 

Platform would not result in air quality or noise impacts on parks and recreation areas in the Study 

Area.

FRA is consulting with NYC Parks to determine the appropriate steps to protect the agency’s ability 

to maintain the High Line. FRA proposes the Project Sponsor would consult with NYC Parks 

regarding those aspects of the Platform design that relate to the High Line. Design plans for the 

Platform would be submitted at the preliminary and pre-final design stages. If NYC Parks identifies 

substantive concerns with maintenance and operation access, the Project Sponsor would continue 

coordination with NYC Parks to mitigate those concerns.

In New York State, temporary or long-term use of publicly owned parkland under the jurisdiction 

of a municipality (i.e., city, county, town, or village) for non-park purposes constitutes alienation, 

and requires the approval of the New York State Legislature. Parkland “alienation” occurs when a 

municipality wishes to sell, lease, or discontinue municipal parkland, including subsurface 

easements beneath parkland. The Preferred Alternative would not require any sale, lease, or 

discontinuance of publicly owned parkland under the jurisdiction of the local municipality (i.e., 

parkland controlled by the City of New York) that would constitute parkland alienation. 

Temporary construction activities for the Preferred Alternative would occur in close proximity to 

the High Line and could be visible from the park, but construction of the Preferred Alternative 

would not be staged from, result in physical alterations to, or result in occupation of this park. 

Construction activities for the Preferred Alternative would include temporary underpinning of a 

segment of the High Line, where the Tunnel Encasement alignment would cross beneath the

portion of the High Line that runs along West 30th Street between Eleventh and Twelfth Avenues. 

To ensure that potential construction-related effects to the High Line are not adverse, FRA would 

require the Project Sponsor to develop a CPP for the construction of the Platform and Tunnel 

Encasement.
Chapter 10: Parks and Recreation Areas

10-7 June 2021

The existing concrete wall surrounding the Project Site along Twelfth Avenue would remain with 

the Preferred Alternative; this wall, as well as the traffic and trees in the landscaped median along 

the avenue, would limit views from Hudson River Park to construction activities within the Project 

Site. As detailed in Chapter 4, “Analysis Framework,” in the period while the Preferred Alternative 

would be under construction, extensive construction would also be occurring in the surrounding 

area for other projects, temporarily changing the visual context of parks, open spaces, and 

recreational areas in the Study Area.

The construction activities would be noticeable to people on nearby portions of the High Line and 

could be temporarily disruptive. As detailed in Chapter 8, “Noise and Vibration,” worst-case noise 

levels at the High Line resulting from construction of the Preferred Alternative would be up to 94 

dB(A) during construction for the Tunnel Encasement and up to 82 dB(A) during Platform 

construction. The maximum noise level increment, 23 dB(A), would occur during hoe ram use 

periods for the first 20 consecutive months of excavation for the Tunnel Encasement. 

During non-hoe ram use periods and the remaining 14 months of Tunnel Encasement 

construction, maximum predicted noise level increments at this receptor would be up to 18 dB(A) 

resulting from drill rig use.

During the remaining 18 months of Platform construction (which includes evening hours and 

Saturdays), after the Tunnel Encasement is completed, the maximum predicted noise level 

increment would range between 3 and 14 dB(A), depending on the equipment used and the 

location of construction activity relative to the receptor. These projections would be limited to the 

portion of the High Line north of West 30th Street and would not extend throughout the full 1.45-

mile length of the High Line, the majority of which would be substantially distanced from the 

construction work areas associated with the Preferred Alternative. Furthermore, the highest 

predicted noise levels are associated with Tunnel Encasement construction, which is not 

anticipated to occur on weekends, leaving the High Line available for use without the effects of 

Tunnel Encasement construction noise during weekends. Nevertheless, the High Line would 

experience periods of noise resulting from construction of the Preferred Alternative that would 

exceed nuisance levels, as defined by the CEQR Technical Manual, and may interfere with speech 

while construction equipment is in use. While the High Line would not experience construction 

noise levels exceeding FTA construction noise impact thresholds for commercial/industrial areas, 

the construction noise levels at the High Line would result in noise level increments exceeding the 

CEQR Technical Manual noise threshold of 3 dB(A) over an extended period and would constitute 

an adverse noise impact under CEQR Technical Manual guidelines. FRA has coordinated with 

NYC Parks to determine appropriate minimization measures to address impacts to the High Line. 

These are described in detail in Chapter 8.
June 2021 10-8 

Elevated noise levels resulting from the construction activities described above and detailed in 

Chapter 8, would also be expected at the portions of Hudson River Park and the Hudson 

Yards/Public Square and Garden facing the Project Site. These resources are more distant from 

the Project Site than the High Line, and noise levels would be lessened by distance and would be 

shielded by intervening buildings. As detailed in Chapter 8, worst-case noise levels at receptors 

2a and 2c nearby the Hudson Yards/Public Square and Garden resulting from construction of the 

Preferred Alternative would be up to 77 dB(A) during construction for the Tunnel Encasement and 

up to 74 dB(A) during Platform construction. CEQR Technical Manual guidelines7

7 See CEQR Technical Manual, Chapter 19, “Noise,” Section 410, “Impact Thresholds.” 

note that, these 

outdoor noise levels would generally exceed the ‘nuisance’ level threshold and would cause 

speech interference. However, construction noise also would affect only a small portion of the 4-

mile long Hudson River Park, which would remain accessible in spite of the increased noise from 

construction; the majority of this linear park would remain available for recreation without 

increased noise. Furthermore, the area of Hudson River Park between West 30th and 33rd Street, 

opposite the Project Site, is not yet completed. As detailed above, this section of the park consists 

of an interim walkway adjacent to the Route 9A bikeway that is under the jurisdiction of NYSDOT, 

and the privately operated West 30th Street Heliport, which contributes to existing noise levels in 

the surrounding area. 

Neither the High Line, Hudson River Park, nor the Hudson Yards/Public Square and Garden have 

been identified as a publicly accessible outdoor area requiring serenity and quiet.8

8 The CEQR Technical Manual identifies “outdoor areas requiring serenity and quiet” as a receptor type for 

noise exposure guidelines. “Outdoor areas requiring serenity and quiet” are further defined as “Tracts of 

land where serenity and quiet are extraordinarily important and serve as important public need, and where 

the preservation of these qualities is essential for the area to serve its intended purpose. Such areas could 

include amphitheaters, particular parks or portions of parks, or open spaces dedicated to or recognized by 

appropriate local officials for activities requiring special qualities of serenity and quiet. Examples are 

grounds for ambulatory hospital patients and patients and residents of sanitariums and nursing homes.” 

(2014 CEQR Technical Manual, Chapter 19, Table 19-2) 

In addition, the 

High Line and Hudson River Park both have active recreational uses such as running and biking, 

which are not noise-sensitive, and therefore the increase in noise would not substantially affect 

the use of these resources for active recreation during the period when the increased noise from 

construction would occur. Other parks and recreation areas located farther from the Project Site 

would not be affected by visual changes or increases in noise during construction of the Preferred 

Alternative.

As noted above, the Preferred Alternative would not require any sale, lease, or discontinuance of 

publicly owned parkland under the jurisdiction of the local municipality (i.e., parkland controlled by 

the City of New York) that would constitute parkland alienation.
Chapter 10: Parks and Recreation Areas

10-9 June 2021

10.6 AVOIDANCE, MINIMIZATION, AND MITIGATION 

MEASURES

To ensure that potential construction-related effects to the High Line are not adverse, FRA would 

include conditions as part of its environmental decision regarding the Preferred Alternative, i.e., in 

the ROD for the EIS in accordance with NEPA. These conditions include requiring the Project 

Sponsor to develop a CEPP for the construction of the Platform and Tunnel Encasement in order 

to protect the High Line (see Chapter 22, “Mitigation Measures and Project Commitments,” for a 

description of the CEPP). FRA is coordinating with NYC Parks to determine appropriate 

minimization measures to address impacts to the High Line. Design plans for the Platform would 

be submitted at the preliminary and pre-final design stages. If NYC Parks identifies substantive 

concerns with maintenance and operation access, the Project Sponsor would continue 

coordination with NYC Parks to mitigate those concerns. The practices that would be used to 

reduce noise and vibration levels associated with construction of the Preferred Alternative, to the 

extent feasible and practicable, are detailed in Chapter 8. 